"My whole ambition in life is to set in motion machinery which will bring noble ideas to the door of everybody, and then let men and women settle their own fate.Let them know what our forefathers as well as other nations have thought on the most momentous questions of life. We are to put the chemicals together; the crystallization will be done by nature according to her laws. Keep the motto before you "ELEVATION OF THE MASSES WITHOUT INJURING THEIR RELIGION”
- SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

This idea of one being held down fast by past Karma, or work, is all nonsense. No matter how dense one may be, or how bad, one ray of light will dissipate it all. A bale of cotton, however large, will be utterly destroyed by a spark. If a room has been dark for untold ages, a lamp will end it all. So with each soul, however benighted he may be, he is not absolutely bound down by his past Karma to work for ages to come. "One ray of Divine Light will free him, reveal to him his true nature."

- Swami Vivekananda The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 9/Notes of Lectures and Classes/The Gita

Saturday, August 11, 2012

What if you don't get Mukti? What childish prattle! Lord! They say even the venom of a snake loses its power by firmly denying it. Isn't it true? What queer humility is this to say, "I know nothing !" "I am nothing !" This is pseudo-renunciation and mock modesty, I tell you. Off with such a self-debasing spirit! "If I do not know, who on earth does!" What have you been doing so long if you now plead ignorance? These are the words of an atheist — the humility of a vagabond wretch. We can do everything, and will do everything! He who is fortunate enough will heroically join us, letting the worthless mew like cats from their corner. A saint writes, "Well, you have had enough of blazoning. Now come back home." I would have called him a man if he could build a house and call me. Ten years' experience of such things has made me wiser. I am no more to be duped by words. Let him who has courage in his mind and love in his heart come with me. I want none else.

Monday, August 6, 2012

After some time, Sri Ramakrishna became ill. He was taken to a garden-house in Cossipore, near Calcutta. Naren and the other boys went there to stay with him and nurse him. When they were not busy nursing Sri Rama­krishna, they spent their time meditating.

One night Naren went into very deep medita­tion. He had a spiritual experience which filled him with bliss. He told Sri Ramakrishna that he wanted to stay in meditation all the time. ‘No, Naren,’ Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘there is much work for you to do. First, do your work. Then you may stay in meditation.’ Sri Ramakrishna did not get any better. He became more and more ill. He could not live much longer.

One day, he said to Naren: ‘I have given you all my spiritual power. With this great power, you will help all the people in the world. You will teach them how to love God and how to know God. You will help the poor, too.’

Naren was still a young boy. He did not understand how these words of his Guru could be true. How could he teach people these things? How could he help the poor?

It was on the 16th August 1886 that Sri Ramakrishna left his body. The boys felt very sad, for they missed him so much! He was like both father and mother to them.

Then they said: ‘Yes, Sri Ramakrishna has left his body. But he is still with us. He lives in our hearts.’

After that the boys left their homes and became sannyasins. Their first monastery was a tumble-down house, so old that hissing cobras lived under it. Sometimes the boys had nothing to eat. But they did not mind. They talked and thought of nothing but God.

It was while he was at the Baranagore Math that Naren began to think of what Sri Ramakrishna had said. How was he going to teach people and help them to overcome the sufferings of life? That was the question in Naren’s mind.

Swamiji swam back to the shore. He then went to Madras. There he had many disciples. He told them that in his travels he had found that India was asleep. India was like a person who had been asleep for hundreds of years. She had to be awakened.
Swamiji now explained the plan he had thought of. He would go away from India. He would see what the people in other countries were doing. They had faith in themselves, so they could do any­thing. Also he would tell them all about India. India believes that nothing is stronger than the spirit that is in man. But now India has forgotten this. She has no faith.

‘Our people have lost faith in themselves,’ said Swamiji sadly ‘I will bring back that faith to them. Now I go; but when I return, I shall awaken the sleeping millions of my people.’

A Parliament of Religions was to be held in America, in the city of Chicago. Leaders of all the different religions of the world were going to speak.

‘I will go there,’ Swamiji said, ‘I will tell them about the ancient religion of India. I will tell them what I know, and I will learn from them the things they know.’

Chicago was many thousands of miles away. To get there, money was needed. Swamiji’s disciples in Madras collected money. And the Raja of Khetri, one of his disciples, also gave him much help. But Swamiji said that he was not yet ready to go. He said: ‘I shall not go, until I know that God wants me to go. If it is God’s plan, I shall go, otherwise not.’

One day, Swamiji was standing on the seashore looking at the beautiful sea and thinking about his plan. Then he saw a marvellous thing. In a vision, he saw Sri Ramakrishna walking on the sea. He was asking Swamiji, by signs, to follow him! Now Swamiji knew that it was his duty to go to America. It was the wish of Sri Rama­krishna.

It was on the 31st May 1893 that Swami Vivekananda sailed for America. He boarded the ship at Bombay. The Captain gave his orders. The ship’s whistle sounded a long, loud blast; and the ship sailed out of the harbour.

Swamiji watched the shores of India until they faded into the distance. Mother India faded from his sight But she stayed in his heart and he never ceased to serve her.